Shawn Hochuli will officiate Sunday’s NFC title game between Washington and Philadelphia a month after his crew’s call almost doomed the Commanders’ chances against the New Orleans Saints.
With nine seconds left in the Week 15 matchup, the Saints had no timeouts as they drove toward the Commanders’ goal line, needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion to secure the win.
When Saints tight end Foster Moreau was tackled inbounds at the 1-yard line, the game clock mysteriously stopped for four seconds. The delay let New Orleans spike the ball and score a touchdown on the next play with three seconds left.
The Saints failed a subsequent two-point conversion, giving the Commanders a 20-19 win. Washington hasn’t lost a game since.
Hochuli admitted his crew’s error after the game.
“The covering official mistakenly stopped the clock at nine seconds and it is not reviewable,” he said in a pool report.
Commanders coach Dan Quinn said, “Those three seconds are critical, let’s just say that. … In the game, I was frustrated why [the clock stopped], but in the moment I don’t get to ask and you don’t get the feedback when it’s that type of intensity.”
The prospect of another Hochuli mistake is worrying some Washington fans ahead of Sunday’s game.
“How’s Shawn Hachuli allowed to call a conference championship game?” Commanders supporter Travis Jones wrote on X. “No way you can tell me they hold them accountable at all.”
The NFC clash kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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